Low power and Lossy Networks (LLNs), e.g., sensor networks, have a myriad of applications, such as Smart Grid and Smart Cities. Various challenges are presented with LLNs, such as lossy links, low bandwidth, battery operation, low memory and/or processing capability, etc. One example routing solution to LLN challenges is a protocol called Routing Protocol for LLNs or “RPL,” which is a distance vector routing protocol that builds a Destination Oriented Directed Acyclic Graph (DODAG, or simply DAG) in addition to a set of features to bound the control traffic, support local (and slow) repair, etc. The RPL architecture provides a flexible method by which each node performs DODAG discovery, construction, and maintenance.
Existing LLNs often utilize adaptive code rate mechanisms on a per-packet basis, as adaptive code rates can assist in increasing range and robustness of network devices. To this end, IEEE 802.15.4g-2012 introduces a Forward Error Correction (FEC) mechanism with a fixed code rate of 1/2. The Start-of-Frame Delimiter (SFD) is used to indicate whether or not FEC is enabled for a given packet. The FEC mechanism defined in IEEE 802.15.4g-2012 offers an actual gain of around 3 dB, which can be useful in enhancing communication range, particularly when the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is low.